new Officials
Becoming an official requires a strong commitment to maintaining the integrity of the game. New officials must complete the necessary certifications through the appropriate officiating program, which includes both online and in-person training on the rules of the game, positioning, and effective communication on the field or ice. Returning officials must ensure their certifications are up to date with BC Hockey, including any required refresher courses and additional training. Staying current with certification and continuing education is essential to ensuring a fair and safe environment for all participants
Explore the BC Hockey website to get started on your journey as an official!
Search for a Hockey Canada Officiating Clinic
New Officials
Complete the Hockey University Online Officiating 1/2 course. This can be done any time and is a prerequisite for step 2.
Completion of this online course does NOT provide full certification. Registrants must proceed to an in-person HCOP certification clinic hosted by the local MHA Referee-in-Chief upon the completion of this virtual course in order to become certified as an HCOP official. This virtual course is a pre-requisite.
Once you have finished this virtual course, you will be able to register with your Hockey Canada Member Branch (BC Hockey), through the local Minor Hockey Association (MHA) and complete your in-person certification in one of the following categories:
Entry Level 1 (11-12 years old, officiating cross-ice U9-only);
New Level 1 (12-15 years old); or
New Level 2 (16 years or older).
This self-led / asynchronous online training is a pre-requisite course for all Cross-Ice Entry Level 1, New Level 1 and New Level 2 officials (individuals with no prior Hockey Canada Officiating Program [HCOP] experience). All NEW officials are required to complete this 'Hockey Canada Officiating Program – Intro' online course in its entirety (including completion surveys) prior to being eligible to register for any of the above listed in-person HCOP certification clinic.
After completing step 1, you may take a New Officials clinic. These are put on by each Minor Hockey Association early in the season (sometime in Sept-Nov). These are private clinics, so they will not appear in a search online. Interested officials must get the clinic link from their Association’s Referee-in-Chief. This is an in-person clinic and takes approximately 6 hours to complete consisting of 4 hours of classroom and 1 hour of ice time, plus any scheduled breaks. As a new official, you CANNOT take a recertification clinic, which are put on by BC Hockey starting in September and running about every 2-3 weeks through the middle of December. These clinics are for officials who have already taken a New Officials clinic in a previous year.
After completing the New Officials clinic, you may start attending our association’s weekly ice sessions which are scheduled for most weekends starting in October and running through the end of February. There is no cost to attend these sessions, the ice is provided by the association for our officials development. After you attend a minimum of 2 of these ice sessions, you will be permitted to start working games (subject to the age restrictions noted above).
Required Equipment
* skates (hockey skates, not figure skates or goalie skates)
* helmet. A half-visor is recommended, but you may use your hockey helmet with your cage if you wish at this point.
* finger-grip whistle (recommended). Most refs use an ACME Thunderer referee whistle (Google it).
To work games, you will need:
* skates (hockey skates)
* helmet - must be black, with a half-visor
* finger-grip whistle - ACME Thunderer whistle
* Official's jersey & red arm bands - available at most local sports gear retailers
* Hockey Canada & BC Hockey crests - available from the instructors at the Officiating ice sessions
* black pants
* athletic cup (recommended)
* referee shin pads (recommended for levels above U13C)
* referee elbow pads (recommended)
* padlock - combination or keyed (recommended)
BC Hockey guide for officials to get started
